The History of Christianity / Consisting of the Life and Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth; the Adventures of Paul and the Apostles; and the Most Interesting Events in the Progress of Christianity, from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.

by John S. C. Abbott

“Then Philip began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” The eunuch, convinced that Jesus was theMessiah, accepted him as his Saviour, became his disciple, and received the ordinance of Christian baptism, not as a member of any local church, but of the one universal Church of Jesus Christ. The scriptural account of this event is beautiful in its simplicity:—

“And, as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest; and he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And, when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.”

Philip continued his tour, preaching the gospel in all the principal cities of Judæa and Samaria, until he reached Cæsarea, on the coast of the Mediterranean. We are not informed what success attended his preaching.

Luke, to whom we are indebted for the account of the Acts of the Apostles, writes,—

“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues,that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”[97]

Damascus is supposed to be the oldest city in the world. Josephus says that it flourished before the days of Abraham. Surviving the ruins of Babylon and of Tyre, it was, in the days of Isaiah, called “the head of Syria.” In the time of the apostles it was one of the most populous, opulent, and beautiful cities on the globe. It was situated amidst a paradise of luxuriance, and was abundantly watered by crystal streams flowing from the sides of Mount Lebanon.

The distance between Jerusalem and Damascus was one hundred and thirty-six miles. In the slow mode of travellingin those times by caravans, it occupied six days. Jesus never visited the city, it being farther north than he journeyed in any of his tours; but his disciples, in their dispersion, had preached the gospel in the city, and many converts had been gathered there. It was mid-day as Saul and his fellow-travellers drew near the gates of Damascus. At noon, beneath the burning sun of the East, all nature seemed in repose. The voices of the birds were hushed, the hum of industry ceased, and silence reigned. The event which ensued, certainly one of the most momentous in the history of the world, and fraught with consequences of greater magnitude than any human imagination can conceive, cannot be better narrated than in the language of Saul himself:—

“And it came to pass, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? and he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? and the Lord said unto me, Arise, go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me,I came into Damascus.”[98]

In the centre of Damascus there was a street, still existing, three miles long, called Straight. Saul, whose eyes were utterly blinded by the brilliancy of the vision, was led by the hand into this street, to the house of a man by the name of Judas. He remained for three days in darkness, surrendered to reflection. The emotions which agitated him in view of his past persecution of the Christians, and of the conclusive evidence he now had of the Messiahship of Jesus, were so painful andintense, that, during all this time, he could neither eat nor drink.

There was in Damascus a disciple of Jesus by the name of Ananias, a devout man, of such irreproachable integrity of character, that all men were constrained to acknowledge his virtues.